Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-07-23

Sir Henry laid his head back in his arm
chair and laughed one of his deep laughs.
allow very oddln he said; "eh, Goodin
Good beaned at me mysteriously through
his eye glass, and murmured, ~Yes, odd
very odd"
81 don't quite understand" said I, looking
from one to the other, for dislike mysteries
"Don't you, old fellow?n said Sir Henry;
'then will explain AS Good and were
walking up here we had talk.
IF Good was there you probably did" |
put in. sarcastically, for Good is a great hand
at talking "And what may It have been
aboutp
@What do you thinkl" asked Sir Henry.
shook my head. II was not likely that
should know what Good might be talking
about, be talks about so many things.
"Well, it was about little plan that l have
formed.-namely that If you were agreeable
we should pack up our traps and go Off TO
Africa ON another expedition"
fairly jumped at his words. "You don't
say so!r / said
"Yes do, though, and so does Good; don't
you, Goods"
Rather" said that gentleman
Listen, old fellow went on Sir Henry,
tired of it too, dead tired of doing nothing
except play the squire in country that is sick
of squires For year or more have been
getting as restless as an old elephant who
scents danger / am always dreaming of
Kukuanaland and gagool and King Solomons
mines. / assure you l have become the victim
of an almost unaccountable craving. lam sick
of shooting pheasants and cartridges, and
want to have go at some large game again.
There, you know the feeling-when one has
once tasted brandy and water, milk becomes
insipid to the palate That year we spent
together up in Kukuanaland seems to me
worth all the other years of my life put
together dare say that am fool for my
pains, but can't help it; long to go. and,
what is more, mean to CO."
"Ah," / said, II thought you would come
to that sooner OF later. And now, Good,
what is your reason for wanting to trek
have you got onep
II have" said Good, solemnly. II never
do anything without reason; and it isn't
lady-at least, if 1t is, it's several"
l looked at him again; Good is SO oves.
poweringly frivolous "What is it~ said
"Well, if you really want to know, though
I'd rather not speak of delicate and strictly
personal matter, "rll tell gu; I'm getting too
fat
"Shut up, Goodl" said Sir Henry, Sand
now, Quaterman, tell us, where do you pro-
pose going tor
I lit my pipe, which had gone out. before
answering.
"Have you people ever heard of Mt.
KeniaP l asked.
"Don't know the place." said Good.
"Did YOU ever hear Of the Island of Lamus"
I asked again..
"No. Stop, though-isn't it place about
300 miles north Of Zanzibarg"
Eyes Now listen. What | have to pro-
pose is this: That we go to Lamu, aud Themes
make our way about $50 miles inland to Mt
Kena; from Mt. Kenia on inland to Mt. Lee
kakisera another 200 miles, or thereabouts,
beyond which no white man has, to the best
of my belief, ever been; and then, If we get
so far, right on into the unknown interior
What do you say to that, my hearties"
sit is big order" said Sir Henry reflect
lively.
"You are right" answered, ''it is; but
take it that we are all three of us in search OF
a big order. We want change of scene, and
we are likely to get one-a thorough change
All my life have longed to visit those parts,
and mean to do it before l die. My pt or
boys death has broken the last link between
me and civilization, and I'm off to my native
wilds. And now I'll tell you another thing,
and that is, that for years and years have
heard rumors of great white race which Is
supposed to haveits home somewhere up in this
direction, and have mind to see if there is
any truth in them. If you fellows like TO
come, well and good; if not, I'll go alone"
"rm your man, though don's believe in
your white race" said Sir Henry Curtis,
rising and placing his arm upon my shoulder.
"Ditto," remarked Good; "Ill go into train
ing at once. By all means let's &c to Mt
Kenia and the other place with an unpro-
rounceable name, and look for white race
that does not exist. It's all one to me-"
"When do you propose to start?" asked Sir
Henry
"This day month";" l answered, "by the
| British India steamboat; and don't you be so
certain that things don't exist because you do
not happen to have heard of them. Remem-
Der King Solomon's mines"
Some fourteen weeks or so had passed since
the date of this conversation, and this his
tory goes on its way in very different sur
roundings.
After much deliberation and inquiry we
point for Mount Kenia would be from the
neighborhood of the mouth of the Tana river,
and not from MombaSa, "A place over 100
miles nearer Zanzibar. This conclusion we
arrived at from information given TO US by a
| German trader whom we met upon the
steamer at Alden. l think. that he was the
dirtiest German l ever knew; but he was q
| good fellow, and gave us a great deal Of val
liable information "Lamu," said he, "you
goes to Lamu-oh, 20 beautiful PLACED" and
he turned up his fat face and beamed with
mild rapture Gone year and half live
there and never change my shirt-never at
| alln
And so it came to pass that on arriving at
| the island we disembarked with all our goods
and chattels, and not knowing where to go,
marched boldly up to the house Of her
majesty's consul, where we were most hos
pitably received.